man empire less free and open by sea than it
was by land. The provinces surrounded and enclosed the Mediterranean:
and Italy, in the shape of an immense promontory, advanced into the
midst of that great lake. The coasts of Italy are, in general, destitute
of safe harbors; but human industry had corrected the deficiencies of
nature; and the artificial port of Ostia, in particular, situate at the
mouth of the Tyber, and formed by the emperor Claudius, was a useful
monument of Roman greatness. [91] From this port, which was only sixteen
miles from the capital, a favorable breeze frequently carried vessels in
seven days to the columns of Hercules, and in nine or ten, to Alexandria
in Egypt. [92]

[See Remains Of Claudian Aquaduct]

[Footnote 85: The following Itinerary may serve to convey some idea of
the direction of the road, and of the distance between the principal
towns. I. From the wall of Antoninus to York, 222 Roman miles. II.
London, 227. III. Rhutupiae or Sandwich, 67. IV. The navigation to
Boulogne, 45. V. Rheims, 174. VI. Lyons, 330. VII. Milan, 324. VIII.
Rome, 426. IX. Brundusium, 360. X. The navigation to Dyrrachium, 40. XI.
Byzantium, 711. XII. Ancyra, 283. XIII. Tarsus, 301. XIV. Antioch, 141.
XV. Tyre, 252. XVI. Jerusalem, 168. In all 4080 Roman, or 3740 English
miles. See the Itineraries published by Wesseling, his annotations; Gale
and Stukeley for Britain, and M. d'Anville for Gaul and Italy.]

[Footnote 86: Montfaucon, l'Antiquite Expliquee, (tom. 4, p. 2, l. i.
c. 5,) has described the bridges of Narni, Alcantara, Nismes, &c.]

[Footnote 87: Bergier, Histoire des grands Chemins de l'Empire Romain,
l. ii. c. l. l--28.]

[Footnote 88: Procopius in Hist. Arcana, c. 30. Bergier, Hist. des
grands Chemins, l. iv. Codex Theodosian. l. viii. tit. v. vol. ii. p.
506--563 with Godefroy's learned commentary.]

[Footnote 89: In the time of Theodosius, Caesarius, a magistrate of high
rank, went post from Antioch to Constantinople. He began his journey at
night, was in Cappadocia (165 miles from Antioch) the ensuing evening,
and arrived at Constantinople the sixth day about noon. The whole
distance was 725 Roman, or 665 English miles. See Libanius, Orat. xxii.,
and the Itineria, p. 572--581. Note: A courier is mentioned in Walpole's
Travels, ii. 335, who was to travel from Aleppo to Constantinople, more
than 700 miles, in eight days, an unusually short journey.--M.]

[Footnote 891: Posts for the conveyance o